Every gym owner, entrepreneur, and personal trainer has a story—a defining moment when their path shifted. For me, that moment came unexpectedly. I didn’t plan on getting into the gym business. In fact, if you had asked me back then, I would’ve said that sales wasn’t something I ever wanted to do. But life, as it often does, had other plans.
The Day Everything Changed
I was already a committed gym member—one of those people who lived and breathed the place. I was there twice a day, mornings and evenings, hitting it hard. Everyone knew me. The gym was like a second home.
Then one day, I walked in like I always did, and the girl at the front desk smiled and said, “Hey Jim, congratulations!”
I looked at her and said, “For what?”
She laughed and said, “I heard you’re going to work here!”
That was news to me. “Really? In what capacity?” I asked.
“I think they want you in sales,” she said.
I remember shaking my head and laughing. “Sales? That’s definitely not for me,” I told her. “That would be way too much of a challenge.”
I went on with my workout, not giving it much thought. But when I finished, the manager stopped me on my way out and said, “Jim, I want to talk to you.”
He sat me down and offered me a position—exactly what I didn’t want to hear: a sales job.
Saying “No”… Until I Didn’t
I turned it down right away. I wasn’t interested. But the manager was persistent. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He kept increasing the offer, adding to the base pay and the commissions until he finally hit a number I was comfortable with.
I remember thinking to myself, “He wants me so bad, I’ll just take the job for 30 days. I probably won’t be very good at it anyway, and it’ll take him that long to fire me.”
So I accepted the job—half-heartedly.
And sure enough, I wasn’t very good at it.
The company had four locations, and every Monday they’d send out the sales standings for all the clubs. Week after week, my name was dead last. One or two sales, sometimes none. I wasn’t producing, and I knew it.
The Turning Point
But the company didn’t give up on me. They saw potential, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.
One day, my competitive nature kicked in. I was sitting with a few of the top salespeople and finally asked one of them, “What do I need to do to get this fixed?”
He didn’t hesitate. He tossed a three-ring binder across the table and said, “Jim, memorize this—and you’ll be fine.”
I picked it up. It was full of sales processes, systems, scripts, and procedures—everything the company had built to teach people how to sell fitness memberships.
I asked, “That’s it? Just memorize this?”
He said, “Yep. Do that, and you’ll be fine.”
So that’s exactly what I did.
I went home and literally memorized the entire thing—every word, every process, every system. I didn’t just read it; I studied it like my life depended on it.
From Last to First
Within 30 days, something incredible happened.
I went from being dead last to being the top salesperson in that club. And soon after, I became the top salesperson in the entire company.
It wasn’t magic. It was commitment. It was following a system. It was understanding that success in sales—like success in fitness—is about doing the work every day, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Within six months, the company offered me the manager’s position for that gym. I actually turned it down at first (that’s a story for another article), but that moment marked the true beginning of my career in the fitness industry.
Lessons That Still Guide Me Today
That early experience taught me lessons I still teach gym owners, sales managers, and trainers today:
1. Everyone Starts Somewhere
I wasn’t naturally gifted at sales. I was terrible at it. But I learned. I adapted. And that’s the first step to success in anything—being willing to learn.
2. Systems Create Success
That three-ring binder changed everything. It showed me that when you have a system and follow it, results follow. Every successful gym operates with systems—sales systems, marketing systems, retention systems.
3. Confidence Comes from Competence
Once I memorized that binder, I wasn’t guessing anymore. I knew what to say, when to say it, and how to help people make a decision that was right for them. That confidence only came after I put in the work.
4. Persistence Beats Talent
The only reason I succeeded is because I didn’t quit. I stuck with it. Persistence is more powerful than talent because talent without consistency goes nowhere.
5. Experience Creates Empathy
I’ve been at the top of the sales chart—and I’ve been at the bottom. That’s what allows me to train others effectively today. I know what it feels like to struggle, and I know what it takes to win.
From That Moment On…
That 30-day trial changed my life.
It led to decades of experience in gym management, ownership, consulting, and helping fitness professionals across the country grow their businesses. What started as a reluctant “yes” became a lifelong career and passion for helping others succeed in the fitness industry.
Sometimes the opportunities that scare you the most are the ones that define your future.
If I had said “no” that day and stuck to it, my life would’ve gone in a completely different direction.
So, to every gym owner, personal trainer, and aspiring entrepreneur reading this—remember this: the thing you think you can’t do might be the thing that changes everything.
Need help building systems, improving your facility, or turning around your gym business? Contact Jim here.
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Meet Jim Thomas
Jim Thomas is the Founder and President of Fitness Management USA, Inc., a premier management consulting, turnaround, financing, and brokerage firm specializing in the leisure services industry. With over 25 years of hands-on experience owning, operating, and managing fitness facilities of all sizes, Jim is an outsourced CEO, turnaround expert, and author who delivers actionable strategies that drive results. Whether it’s improving gym sales, fostering teamwork, or refining marketing approaches, Jim has the expertise to help your business thrive. Learn more by visiting his website or YouTube channel
